Tag: Doug Farrar

A former Badger is one of ‘the NFL’s best 11 offensive guards’ according to a recent ranking

Doug Farrar of USA Today’s TouchdownWire put together a list of the NFL’s 11 best offensive guards yesterday and No. 11 on the list?…

Doug Farrar of USA Today’s TouchdownWire put together a list of the NFL’s 11 best offensive guards yesterday and No. 11 on the list? Former Badger and current New York Giant Kevin Zeitler.

Here’s what the piece had to say about the former Badger:

Cincinnati’s first-round pick in the 2012 draft out of Wisconsin, Zeitler was a stalwart force on the inside for the Bengals through the 2016 season, and was then the same for the Browns until he was traded to the Giants as part of the Olivier Vernon trade in March of 2019. While Zeitler can still get it done in nasty fashion as a run-blocker, he’s given away a bit of agility over time — not that agility was his primary attribute before, and he’s still got enough to make this list. Zeitler allowed three sacks in the 2019 season on 686 pass-blocking reps, as well as three quarterback hits and 16 quarterback hurries. That total of 22 pressures is the second-most the veteran has allowed in a season, behind the 29 he gave up in 2017. Zeitler did lower his penalty total from seven in 2018 to just two in 2019, though there were times when he seemed to get a bit of veteran love from the officials. Regardless, Zeitler is one of the most consistent guards of his era, and he’s still got a lot left to offer at age 30.

ProFootballFocus gave the veteran guard a grade of 76.4 for his 2019 season–one during which he played 93 percent of the Giants’ offensive snaps and only committed one holding penalty.

Zeitler will be 30 this season and is set to be the Giants’ starting right guard as they look to keep their young quarterback Daniel Jones clean in the pocket and healthy throughout the season.

The former Badger is getting up there in years–now with eight NFL seasons under his belt–so this ranking may not stand for much longer, but if history tells us anything it’s that Wisconsin products on the offensive line stay around for a long time and are annually ranked as some of the best linemen in the league.

Chargers’ Chris Harris, Jr. listed as one of NFL’s best slot defenders

The Los Angeles Chargers’ secondary is going to be very sharp in 2020.

Michael Davis was recognized as one of the best zone coverage cornerbacks in the NFL by Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar. Recently, Farrar compiled the best slot defenders, and his new teammate, Chris Harris Jr., was among the list.

Harris Jr. came in as the 10th-best slot defender in the league. Farrar cited his awareness and intelligence in coverage as his main strengths.

Now with the Chargers after nine years in Denver, Harris has said that he will spend most of his time in the slot as part of one of the NFL’s most potentially dominant secondaries. What makes Harris the personification of the slot defender throughout his career? His short-area speed, change of direction ability, and toughness are all prototypical, but it’s his intelligence and awareness to discern what’s happening in the passing game before it happens that gives him a considerable advantage. The Chargers got a real bargain in Harris’ two-year, $20 million contract, but it’s interesting to see how Harris and Desmond King (who just missed this list) will co-exist in a defense that put more than five defensive backs on the field just 19% of the time in 2019.

Harris Jr. stayed in the AFC West, leaving the Broncos after nine seasons for the Chargers. The acquisition of the four-time Pro Bowler bolstered a defense that ranked No. 6 in the league last season.

However, according to NFL.com research, the Chargers allowed nine yards per slot target last season, which was the fifth-highest average in the league. They also ranked No. 30 in completion percentage to slot targets.

Harris Jr., 30, is one of the NFL’s polished cornerbacks in that he can on the outside and shadow a No. 1 wide receiver but also excel as a slot cornerback. Harris projects as the starting slot corner, overtaking Desmond King in that role.

Harris is capable of playing on the outside along with some safety, but we can expect to see him primarily on the inside. His coverage skills and open space tackling will be key as the team looks to stop the Chiefs’ high-powered offense.

The best thing about it all is that getting him for two years at $17 million was a heck of a bargain.

VIDEO: How Pete Carroll is supporting players’ social justice initiatives

Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll spoke with Touchdown Wire about how he can best support players’ social justice initiatives.

[jwplayer r6pDJhYh]

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Seahawks land at No. 11 in Touchdown Wire’s summer NFL power rankings

The Seattle Seahawks have landed at No. 11 in Touchdown Wire’s summer NFL power rankings.

The start of the 2020 NFL season might be in question, but the power rankings must go on! Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire has now put together his summer NFL power rankings, based on teams’ overall quality and potential to excel.

The Seahawks have landed at No. 11 on his list.

“2019 was supposed to be a rebuilding season for the Seahawks, but Pete Carroll’s squad still managed to go 11-5, making the playoffs for the seventh time in the last eight years,” Farrar writes. “As usual, the internal battle was between Russell Wilson, who carried the offense on his shoulders when he was allowed to, and Pete Carroll, who wants a balanced offense above all, no matter who his quarterback is. Wilson has expressed concerns regarding the limitations of that offense, and he’s got a point.”

“Still, the key for Seattle to advance beyond the divisional round, which they haven’t done since their last Super Bowl season of 2014, is to rejuvenate a defense that featured one of the league’s weakest pass rushes and a secondary in transition,” Farrar continues. “The likelihood of re-signing Jadeveon Clowney is not optimal, so it may be through coverage that Carroll’s defense gets more sacks. Acquiring former Washington cornerback Quinton Dunbar, perhaps the most underrated player at his position in the NFL, for a fifth-round pick in March should help . . . if Dunbar’s legal issues don’t get in the way.”

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Chargers’ Michael Davis tabbed as one of NFL’s top zone coverage cornerbacks

Surprisingly, Casey Hayward did not make the cut.

A cornerback for the Chargers is being hailed as one of the league’s best, and his name isn’t Casey Hayward.

Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar sought out the NFL’s 11 best cornerbacks in zone coverage. After some extensive evaluation, CB Michael Davis was among the crop, being named the 11th-best in a zone coverage role.

According to Farrar, Davis allowed 19 receptions on 34 targets for 254 yards, no touchdowns, two interceptions, and a Positive Play Rate of 50% when playing zone coverage.

From Farrar’s breakdown:

The Chargers may go into 2020 with the NFL’s most loaded secondary that’s not based in Foxboro. When you have cornerbacks Casey Hayward and Chris Harris Jr., and safeties Derwin James and Nasir Adderley, that’s a potential nightmare for any enemy quarterback. But the guy who performed best in the Chargers’ league-high zone coverages in 2019 was also the least-known. Davis, an undrafted free agent from BYU who joined the team in 2017, can do everything from taking speed receivers up the chute, to breaking up screens, to deflecting quick slants and drags over the middle. In 2019, Davis allowed 19 receptions on 34 targets for 254 yards, no touchdowns, two interceptions, and a Positive Play Rate of 50% when playing zone coverage.

For many, Davis being on the list and Hayward not being among the crop, will be quite surprising. However, Farrar creates his list by logging specific data points, tracking player assignments, and creating deep-dive statistical analyses from it all.

Davis, the undrafted free agent out of BYU, has been overshadowed by premiere defensive backs the past couple of seasons. But he has still managed to play at a high level in 21 starts, notching 89 tackles, 17 passes defensed and two interceptions.

Davis’ play has been scrutinized due to inconsistency in coverage and as a tackler, but Farrar’s breakdown and the coaching staff’s confidence in him in the starting role suggests otherwise.

Los Angeles has the opportunity to boast one of the league’s best defenses in 2020, and Davis will be a critical piece in a secondary that features Hayward, Chris Harris Jr., Desmond King, Derwin James, Nasir Adderley and Rayshawn Jenkins.

2 Seahawks make Touchdown Wire’s best cornerbacks in man coverage

Seattle Seahawks defensive backs Quinton Dunbar and Tre Flowers have landed on Touchdown Wire’s list of top NFL cornerbacks in man coverage.

Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar recently took a look around the league at the best NFL cornerbacks in man coverage and two Seattle Seahawks have landed on the list – Quinton Dunbar and Tre Flowers. Here’s what Farrar has to say about each player.

“It’s unknown what will happen to Dunbar as a result of his legal issues at this time, but when the Seahawks traded a 2020 fifth-round pick to the Redskins for his services in March, it sure looked like a great deal,” Farrar writes. “Last season, Dunbar allowed the ninth-best opposing quarterback rating in the NFL at 56.9, and that excellence worked in his ability to play man coverage, as well. In those instances (the Redskins played man coverage on 34% of their snaps), Dunbar allowed 14 catches on 29 targets for 222 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions, and an opponent QBR of 46.1 — eighth-best in the league. If Dunbar is able to play in the 2020 season, the Seahawks might want to consider playing man coverage at a higher rate than their 19% last season (31st in the NFL), because they have two starting cornerbacks on this list.”

As for Flowers, here’s a look at how he stacks up.

“And then, there’s Tre Flowers, selected in the fifth round of the 2018 draft out of Oklahoma State,” Farrar starts. “While he’s still getting the hang of a lot of the things (quick routes and quick receivers) that tend to bedevil cornerbacks of his size (6’3″, 203 pounds), Flowers has proven to be an outstanding man cornerback in that he uses his big body to landmark receivers and take them through the route. Last season in man coverage, Flowers allowed 14 catches on 25 targets for 138 yards, no touchdowns, one interception, and an opposing QBR of 38.4. Only the three cornerbacks who finished above him on this list allowed lower QBR totals. As we said in the Quinton Dunbar section, it might be time for the Seahawks to play more man coverage.”

You find the complete list of Farrar’s best cornerbacks in man coverage here.

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Seahawks’ defense a lowly No. 22 in Touchdown Wire’s rankings

The Seattle Seahawks’ defense has landed at a lowly No. 22 in Touchdown Wire’s rankings of the worst to first defenses in the NFL.

It’s rare to see the Seattle Seahawks defensive rankings near the bottom of the pile after seasons of dominating on that side of the ball.

Touchdown Wire editor Doug Farrar recently took a look at all the defenses around the league and ranked each squad from worst to first. Seattle landed at just No. 22 on his list.

“The Seahawks’ Legion of Boom defenses of the early and mid-2010s are now a distant memory,” Farrar writes. “Seattle’s defenses that finished first overall in Football Outsiders’ Defensive DVOA metrics in 2013 and 2014 have finished fourth, fifth, fifth, 13th, 14th, and 18th since. Coaching changes and middling draft results over the last few years have made a formerly formidable unit league-average, and things don’t look to swing up in 2020.”

“There’s a noticeable lack of pass rush with the re-signing of Jadeveon Clowney looking unlikely, and while the mid-season trade for safety Quandre Diggs probably saved Seattle’s season, there aren’t the alphas there used to be,” Farrar continues. “Linebacker Bobby Wagner is still one of the best in the business, but he was drafted in 2012, and it’s tough to name a player from that defense of whom this could be said who joined the roster in recent years.”

For a look at how Touchdown Wire ranked the Seahawks’ offense – click here.

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Seahawks QB Russell Wilson most suited for 7-step drop

Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire believes Seattle Seahawks signal-caller Russell Wilson is the quarterback most suited for the seven-step drop.

With the 2020 NFL regular season in question and no rookie minicamps or OTAs to report, analysts around the league are diving more into the statistics of football.

USA TODAY’s Touchdown Wire editor Doug Farrar recently took a stab at assigning which quarterbacks are the best for each type of throw. Farrar believes Seahawks’s signal-caller Russell Wilson is the man for the seven-step drop.

“As the NFL has transitioned to more of a quick passing game by default, the seven-step drop is almost a thing of the past,” Farrar writes. “Jared Goff was the only quarterback in 2019 with more than 50 attempts on seven-step drops (68), but it was Wilson, Goff’s NFC West rival, who proved most effective on those longer dropbacks with a 157.6 passer rating.”

“Wilson completed 23 of 30 passes for 450 yards, five touchdowns, and no interceptions,” Farrar continues. “He also took sacks on 16.7% of his dropbacks, which is the nature of the beast. Interestingly enough, Wilson also dominated on zero-step and one-step drops, with 11 touchdowns and just one interception.”

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Touchdown Wire gives Seahawks 2020 NFL Draft Class C- grade

After looking at all eight picks selected, Touchdown Wire editor Doug Farrar gives the Seattle Seahawks’ 2020 NFL Draft Class a C- grade.

The Seattle Seahawks addressed a number of holes during the 2020 NFL Draft, selecting eight new players to the roster for the upcoming season.

After taking a look at the teams’ picks from around the league, USA TODAY’s Touchdown Wire editor Doug Farrar has put together his final grades.

Farrar awards the Seahawks a measly C- for their efforts in this year’s draft.

“Death, taxes, and the Seahawks taking somebody nobody expected in the first round – if they don’t trade out,” Farrar writes. “If you had Texas Tech linebacker Jordyn Brooks as a first-round guy and your name isn’t Pete Carroll or John Schneider, raise your hand? It’s an interesting gambit for a team with Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright on their roster, but remember that the Seahawks played a three-linebacker base more than any other team.”

“Brooks is a natural run-stopper, but his coverage limitations make him an iffy first-round guy… for any other team,” Farrar continues. “Carroll and Schneider were very high on second-round edge-rusher Darrell Taylor from Tennessee, and it’s easy to see why when you see the kind of strength, leverage, and gap versatility Taylor brings to the table. Miami running back DeeJay Dallas could be the sleeper of this group with his power and receiving ability.”

With the virtual offseason set to kick off Monday morning, it might be months before we can actually take a look at any of the rookies on the field. Grades can change over the season and often do. It looks like Seattle only has room to go up.

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Give it a listen! NFL Draftville: Draft Insiders Preview

Check out the NFL Draftville Insiders Preview podcast featuring Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar.

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